The Silver Lake Reservoirs Conservancy’s 2016 Community Survey created the largest and most reliable set of data about how this community thinks and feels about it’s namesake reservoirs - many thanks to all of you who completed the survey. It was sent to over 3,400 randomly selected households within the SL Neighborhood Council’s boundaries and yielded more than 800 completed surveys. While in no way intended to substitute for the upcoming master planning process / community meetings, these detailed and statistically reliable results should help to identify a baseline of community preferences and concerns regarding possible future improvements on the reservoir property.

The full report not only presents analysis of all the data from the survey responses, but is chock full of quotes and comments from community members that create a rich picture of the community’s thoughts about this unique resource. Specifically outlined are FOUR KEY FINDINGS and how they relate to a number of projects that have been proposed over the years. ([And yes - there is a 2-Page Executive Summary!]

You can open/ read/ print the report (as well as see information on SLRC's previous surveys) at:

Please let us know if you would like a printed hard copy of the survey report or if you have any questions about the survey or it’s methodology. SLRC looks forward to the upcoming master planning process and will continue our nearly 30-year mission of advocating for improvements at the reservoirs that are supported by a wide swath of our committed and diverse community.

Now that the DWP’s pipeline project is complete and the reservoirs have been decommissioned as a drinking water storage facility, City Councilmembers Mitch O’Farrell and David Ryu have pledged to the Silver Lake community to fund and oversee a new Master Plan process for the reservoirs, which will be administered through the city’s Bureau of Engineering (BOE). According to a report recently published by Councilmember O’Farrell’s office, the DWP is currently assessing it’s needs for any operations on site - this information will allow the BOE to determine the appropriate framework for considering new changes on the property. The BOE will take bids from contractors to design and implement a process for community meetings, workshops, etc. The new plan document to guide future changes at the reservoir may take 2-3 years to complete. (Long time residents may recall that the community undertook a similar mission - on a similar timetable - in the late 1990s, which lead to the creation of the popular walking paths and Meadow Park.)

Many thanks go out to our elected representatives and the DWP for supporting the community’s wishes and needs for this cherished public space. We look forward to robust community participation in this process, and hope to see you there when community meetings are announced.

While many changes will likely be discussed in the upcoming long-term planning process for the reservoir, at least one visible change is planned for 2017. CD13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell is working to open a dawn-to-dusk pedestrian pathway across the top of the reservoir’s South Dam (just above the Recreation Center). This small stretch connecting the existing paths on the east and west sides will complete a primary mission of the decades-old Master Plan to create a safe, dedicated pedestrian path around the reservoirs. It will create a much safer route for all users, especially the elderly, the disabled and those pushing strollers.

The South Dam path project was supported by 79% of the Silver Lake community in the Conservancy’s recent survey sent to over 3,400 randomly selected households. It was only opposed by 7% of those responses. CD13 also hosted an open house at the site on May 13, where hundreds of community members gave it a “thumbs up” by more than a 10:1 ratio.

According to CD13’s most recent published report on this project, the DWP will install a 4-foot fence on the pathways’s south side, facing the recreation center. The agency is currently considering whether a 4-foot fence can be used on the side facing the reservoir (rather than an 8-foot fence). There will be no barbed wire on any fencing and no lighting installed, as gates at each end will be closed at dusk by DWP security personnel.

Many thanks go out to both Councilmember O’Farrell and the DWP for providing this valuable resource for the reservoir community! The new path access is expected to open before the end of the year - we hope to see you out there!

Many thanks to all of you who were able to come out last Saturday when the DWP opened the South Dam to the public and shared it's renderings for creating a simple crossing connecting the east and west pedestrian paths for daylight use. Over 400 community members were there, who expressed support by more than a 10 to 1 ratio. This will finally complete the safe, dedicated path around the reservoirs that the community requested in the Master Plan some 17 years ago, and provide a convenient and flat alternative to traveling around the Dog Park and Recreation Center.

But - we are not quite there yet. The Silver Lake Neighborhood Council is hosting another meeting to seek additional feedback. We really hope you can attend - even if briefly to register your support - so this long-awaited project can be completed. The DWP has committed to have it done by the end of this year. But since there is a small group who oppose any additional public access around the reservoirs, we need to hear your voice now.

Here are the meeting details:

Monday, May 22, 2017, from 7:00-8:30pm

Ivanhoe Elementary School Auditorium

And it would be super helpful if you could shoot a quick e-mail supporting the South Dam Pedestrian Path to Councilmember O'Farrell at councilmember.ofarrell@lacity.org

And in case you are just catching up to this now, here are some background resources:

Completion Plan from two years ago: http://www.silverlakereservoirs.org/path-completion

Thank you for your interest and support, and hope to see you next Monday evening. We look forward to bringing you more news of interest about your reservoir, and as always welcome your feedback and questions anytime.

Four community-installed doggie waste bag dispensers were placed along the reservoir path last year, and they became a HUGE success. So much so, that it has been challenging to keep them filled. Believe it or not - some 25,000 bags have been dispensed! SLRC has been storing the bags and has reached out to community volunteers who have been good enough to monitor the dispensers and refill them when needed. But we could use your help in buying more bags, and have created two easy ways for you to do this:

You can use the SLRC web site and donate directly:

www.silverlakereservoirs.org/donate

OR

You can visit a Generosity online fundraising page we've set up and do the same there:

The DWP made three major announcements at last week's community meeting at Ivanhoe Elementary School:

1. To reduce the risks of major infrastructure damage from the large volumes of water in the Sierras from this winter's storms, the DWP will be releasing water to multiple locations here in the basin - including the Silver Lake reservoirs. They expect to begin refilling the reservoir in April and expect it to be full sometime in June. They will also continue their work to connect the lake to the Pollock Wells near Riverside Drive, and will use that groundwater source to address future evaporation losses.

2. The DWP will fund a Master Planning process for the future use of the reservoirs and surrounding property, which should begin later this year. This will be overseen by the city's Bureau of Engineering, who will be issuing a Request for Proposal for a contractor to undertake the process of soliciting community input.

3. In advance of the Master Planning process, the DWP will fund and undertake two public access improvements to the popular pedestrian paths that circle the reservoirs. They will reopen the "temporary path" adjacent to the Ivanhoe reservoir that the community used during its recent pipeline construction project. They will also open the top of the South Dam, connecting the existing paths on the east and west sides of the lake. This will mean that path users won't need to walk down by the Dog Park or Recreation Center to circumnavigate the property unless they want to. And the view is inspiring! Both of these near term improvements were highly valued in SLRC's comprehensive 2016 Community Survey, and are supported by both Silver Lake Forward and Refill Silver Lake Now.

Many thanks to the DWP for taking responsibility for responding to community concerns and for leading us all through this transition process! Stay tuned for more information about opportunities to provide input to the Master Planning process.

It seems like destiny that Nick Hummingbird is a native plant enthusiast. It's also kismet that he is the manager of the Hahamonga Native Plant Nursery in the Arroyo Seco.. What makes this even more perfect is that he's provided so many of the healthy, natural, local plants that are now thriving on the Armstrong hill. To learn more about Nick's work at Hahamonga, visit: http://www.arroyoseco.org/nursery.htm

Nick Hummingbird wears his philosophy," Defend The Sacred". His plants on Armstrong are living testimony to this motto.

Dogs on the path around the reservoirs always seem happy. And walkers/runners are even happier when dog owners pick up after their pets. SLRC partnered with the Neighborhood Council to provide Pet Waste Stations with doggy bags (not the kind you take home from a restaurant) to help keep the path clean. They may seem free but actually they are not. Hundreds are used every week and those stations need to be filled with new supplies "early and often". If you'd like to keep this path "amenity" available please visit our Donation Page to help us with any amount.

Doggy Bag dispensers on the path help keep the path clean and free of "obstacles" along the way.

The rains have come and so have new plants to the Armstrong "Up and Over". Thanks to Mother Nature and our amazing volunteers, the slope has an abundance of California native plants, as well as a new sprinkling of wild flower seeds. With more rain and sunshine we will see Poppies and Lupine. Be on the lookout this Spring for green, orange, and purple colors on your path.

Join SLRC every last Saturday of the month from 9 - Noon to weed, mulch and plant. Just click on the "Volunteer" button and let us know - we'll notify you of upcoming opportunities. Thanks!